Marie Dodds, spokeswoman for AAA Oregon/Idaho, said the national average for regular unleaded skipped up a penny this week to $3.53; in Oregon, prices jumped four cents to $3.63.

Pump
prices in most states have moved higher over the last week and month.
Oregon has the third-largest monthly increase in the price of regular
unleaded.

Dodds blamed the upticks on seasonal refinery maintenance and the mandated switch to
summer-blend gasoline. She said the hikes aren't over yet, if AAA predictions hold. The travel group expects
prices to rise a tad more than then peak later this spring.

The AAA expects a high of $3.55 nationwide, with Oregonian's paying $3.75 a gallon in the coming weeks.